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More by Francis Durbridge

Francis Durbridge From 1938 to 1969 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular serials. They inhabit a sophisticated, well-dressed world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women are chic and the men still wear cravats. And where Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard always needs Paul's help with a tricky case.
This adventure begins with a body on a train, the word 'Alex' scrawled on the compartment window, and the discovery of a visiting card bearing the name 'Mrs Trevelyan'. More bodies follow, and the two names recur on each occasion.

Paul's attempts to unravel the mystery take him to a psychiatrist's consulting room, a rendezvous in London's dockland, a hotel in Canterbury, and many other places before the denouement in a deserted mill and the Temples' elegant flat in London.

Francis Durbridge From 1938 to 1969 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular serials. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women were chic and the men wore cravats, a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul's help with his latest tricky case.
This time, the case involves the Fergusons, who Paul and Steve meet while on the way home from New York. They are flying to England to visit their son Richard, a student at Oxford University. But at the airport, there is shocking news: Richard has been murdered, found shot dead in his room. The only clues are a postcard from Harrogate signed 'Jonathan', and Richard's missing gold signet ring.

But who is Jonathan, and what is his connection to the dead man? It is up to Paul to find the answer.

Francis Durbridge From 1938 to 1969 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular serials. They inhabit a sophisticated, well-dressed world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women are chic and the men still wear cravats. And where Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard always needs Paul's help with a tricky case.

Just as he and Steve are looking forward to a well-earned break, Paul is contacted by the wealthy financier Maurice Lonsdale, whose brother-in-law was apparently killed by accident in Geneva. His widowed sister Margaret is increasingly convinced that her husband is still alive, and she wants Paul Temple to investigate! Suddenly attempts are being made on Paul and Steve's lives, and they become embroiled in a plot of deception stretching from London to Switzerland. Anonymous gunmen, exploding cars, ransom demands, and mysterious rendezvous leave them with some puzzling questions. Is Carl Milbourne dead or alive? And what is the significance of the phrase 'too young to die'?

From 1938 to 1968, crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve solved case after case in one of BBC Radio’s most popular serials. Now the dapper duo return refreshed and reinvigorated to the airwaves, to investigate the activities of a shadowy and ruthless criminal mastermind in post-war London.

Enlisted by Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard to help track down the mysterious Dr Belasco, Paul and Steve find clues in cigarette lighters and bodies in shrubberies, dance the night away in louche Latin American night clubs, meet sinister manservants and suspicious foreigners, and have their lives threatened at every turn. Just as well Steve remembered to bring along her revolver as well as her ration book.

This new production for BBC Radio 4 uses the original scripts, vintage sound effects and much of the incidental music from the missing 1947 production. As far as possible, it is a technical and stylistic replica of how that production might have sounded had its recording survived.

Francis Durbridge In a thrilling case that takes Paul and Steve to exotic Egypt, Paul Temple is called in to investigate a mysterious murder. The twisting trail takes them from London to the back streets and nightclubs of Cairo. From 1938 to 1969, crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife, Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular serials. They inhabit a sophisticated, well-dressed world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women are chic and the men still wear cravats - and where Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard always needs Paul's help with a tricky case. Now, Paul Temple is being brought into the 21st century in this brand-new eight-part recording of a lost-archive Paul Temple mystery, starring Crawford Logan and Gerda Stevenson.

Francis Durbridge Paul Temple, the creation of Francis Durbridge, was one of radio's most popular sleuths. He and his glamorous wife Steve inhabit a sophisticated world where they sip well-chilled cocktails, where Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard always sends for Paul when the going gets tricky, and where Paul's incisive mind picks up every one of the carefully strewn clues.The Conrad Case takes Paul and Steve to Bavaria to help find Betty Conrad. But their only clue is an unusual cocktail stick found in her finishing school bedroom.

Can Paul work it out?

Francis Durbridge Radio's smoothest sleuth and his glamorous wife solve a case of international mystery.From 1938 to 1969 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular serials.

They inhabit a sophisticated, well-dressed world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women are chic and the men still wear cravats. And where Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard always needs Paul's help with a tricky case.

First broadcast on October 30th, 1942, this is the oldest full length drama to remain in the BBC archives. Starring Carl Bernard and Bernadette Hodgson as Paul Temple and his wife Steve, this detective duo help Scotland Yard to track down master criminal The Marquis, in eight thrilling episodes.

Francis Durbridge From 1938 to 1969 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular serials. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women were chic and the men wore cravats, a world where Sir Graham Forbes, of Scotland Yard, usually needed Paul's help with his latest tricky case.
Whilst she and Paul are staying in the fishing village of Downburgh, Steve gets the uneasy feeling that she is being watched by a man at Fisherman's Point. A pleasant boat trip turns into a nightmare when their craft gets shot at, and the boatman himself is later discovered drowned at sea. Back in London, the daughter of the head of CI5 has disappeared, and Sir Graham brings the matter to Paul's attention. Could there be a connection between this and the events in Downburgh? In finding out, Paul and Steve find they are in peril once again.

Francis Durbridge From 1938 to 1969 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular serials. They inhabit a sophisticated, well-dressed world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women are chic and the men still wear cravats. And where Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard always needs Paul's help with a tricky case.
Just as Paul and Steve are about to go on holiday, Wilfrid Stirling visits with a plea. His daughter Brenda was recently murdered, her body dumped on a bomb site. Her boyfriend Howard Gilbert, seen walking away from the site, has been convicted of the murder and sentenced to hang, but Brenda's father feels sure he didn't do it. In spite of all the evidence against Gilbert, Mr Stirling asks Paul to clear his name and discover the real murderer.

If he's to prevent an unjust hanging, Paul has just a week in which to discover the truth. Can he solve the case in time?

Francis Durbridge Peter Coke and Marjorie Westbury star in another intriguing case for BBC Radio's smoothest sleuth and his glamorous wife. From 1938 to 1969 the fictional crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, together with his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve, solved case after case in one of radio's most popular series.When young drama student Mary Dreisler is found murdered in her flat, her father instantly sends for Paul Temple. There appears to have been no struggle, no robbery, no motive. The only possible clue is a package that arrives for the dead girl. It contains a gramophone record called My Heart and Harry and attached is a note: "Adored every minute of it - Spencer". Who is Spencer? Does the song have anything to do with the murder? If anyone can find the answers, Paul can.

Francis Durbridge The Curzon Case is a gripping story of kidnapping, intrigue and sudden death. Boys disappear from a public school, an aeroplane crashes nearby, and a murder occurs. Paul Temple has his work cut out trying to find out if all the events are connected and tracking down the mysterious Curzon.Crime novelist and detective Paul Temple, and his glamorous wife, Steve, made their first appearance on BBC Radio in 1938. They inhabited a sophisticated world of chilled cocktail. Now the great radio detective lives again in a brand new reading by Anthony Head.

Francis Durbridge Another thrilling adventure for Paul Temple and his wife, Steve. A gang of counterfeiters is flooding Europe with dodgy dollars and Paul Temple is called in to investigate. From 1938 to 1969, crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife, Steve, solved case after case in one of BBC radio's most popular serials. They inhabit a sophisticated, well-dressed world of chilled cocktails and fast cars, where the women are chic and the men still wear cravats. And where Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard always needs Paul's help with a tricky case.

Now Paul Temple returns in a brand new 8-part recording of a lost archive Paul Temple mystery, starring Crawford Logan and Gerda Stevenson.

Francis Durbridge A brand new eight-part remake of the lost archive drama A Case for Paul Temple, starring Crawford Logan and Gerda Stevenson.

From 1938 to 1968 crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his Fleet Street journalist wife Steve solved case after case in one of BBC Radio's most popular series. Now the glamorous duo return to the airwaves to break a mysterious drug-running gang.

Post-war London is buzzing with speculation about the deaths of ten young drug addicts within the space of just one week. The police are desperate to cut off supplies of heroin and cocaine to the capital, but they are struggling. So Sir Graham Forbes turns to Paul Temple. By fast car and police launch, on deserted houseboats and midnight beaches, in dodgy East End pubs and smart West End restaurants, braving booby traps, bullets and blazing houses, Paul and Steve pursue the ruthless and feared drug dealer known only as 'Valentine'.

This new production for BBC Radio 4 uses the original scripts, vintage sound effects and much of the original incidental music from the missing 1946 production. As far as possible it is a technical and stylistic replica of how that production might have sounded if its recording had survived.

Francis Durbridge Bernard Braden stars in an original 1940 full-cast production of the very first Paul Temple adventure.

Between 1938 and 1968, the exploits of amateur detective Paul Temple and his wife, Steve, enthralled generations of BBC radio listeners. Theirs was an exciting world of violence and glamour - car bombs and cocktail parties.

In Paul and Steve’s very first adventure, starring Bernard Braden as Paul, with Peggy Hassard as Steve, a spate of jewel robberies in the Midlands has left the police baffled. They are the work of a shadowy criminal mastermind known only as The Knave of Diamonds. But who is the Knave? And can he be stopped?

All but one episode of the original 1938 BBC production of Send for Paul Temple are lost from the archives. However, this complete recording of a 1940 production - made for Canadian radio and based on the original BBC radio scripts - was recently rediscovered in the national Library and Archives of Canada. Digitally restored, all six episodes are now available for the very first time. Two bonus features are also included: the sole surviving sixth episode of the original 1938 production, starring the original Paul Temple, Hugh Morton, and an unbroadcast interview with the longest-running Paul Temple actor, Peter Coke.

When it comes to classic crime partnerships, Paul Temple and his wife, Steve, are the crème de la crème. Between 1938 and 1968, their glamorous exploits enthralled generations of radio listeners around the world. Here, presented in chronological order, are some of the amateur detective's earliest adventures.

'Send for Paul Temple' (1940) is an early remake of the now lost original 1938 BBC production. 'Paul Temple Intervenes' (1942) finds Paul and Steve investigating a series of celebrity murders whilst 'Paul Temple and the Vandyke Affair' (the original 1950 production, presented here for the very first time) concerns the strange disappearance of the Desmond baby and her sitter.

Hugh Morton, Bernard Braden, Carl Bernard and Peter Coke play Paul in these episodes, with Bernadette Hodgson, Peggy Hassard and Marjorie Westbury as Steve. A bonus track features rare archive material from otherwise lost productions, including the final episodes of 'Send for Paul Temple' (1938) and 'Paul Temple and the Front Page Men' (1938).

Duration: 11 hours approx.

When it comes to classic crime partnerships, Paul Temple (Peter Coke) and his wife, Steve (Marjorie Westbury), are the crème de la crème.

Between 1938 and 1968, their glamorous exploits enthralled generations of radio listeners around the world. Here, presented in chronological order, are some of the amateur detective's adventures from the 1950s: 'The Gilbert Case' (1954); 'The Lawrence Affair' (1956); 'The Spencer Affair' (1957); 'The Vandyke Affair' (the 1959 remake) and 'The Conrad Case' (1959). This set also includes a number of bonus items.

Duration: 19 hours approx.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.